Chapter 1: Kneel in public
1454 Words
"Dilan!"
"Do you belong here?!"
"Look at yourself! Could you afford to replace even one of these glasses if you broke it?!"
...
A boundless ocean. A multi-billion dollar yacht sliced through the waves.
Inside the cabin, opulent decor met the eye everywhere, mirroring the expensive attire of the guests. Among these elites, one figure seemed starkly out of place.
Dilan had barely sat down, reaching for a glass of wine to ease his seasickness, when a flamboyantly dressed middle-aged woman splashed a glass of champagne in his face. The woman was none other than Estelle, Dilan's mother-in-law. The incident instantly drew the attention of the surrounding guests.
"Want a drink?" Estelle sneered. "Why don't you take a look at yourself first!"
"Everyone on this ship is rich and influential. Mr. Harris allowing you on board, letting you witness such grandeur, is already an act of immense charity. You should stay in your place, like the trash you are, instead of trying to sneak a drink!"
"I..."
Before Dilan could speak, Estelle's shrill voice cut him off. "I don't know what that old fool was thinking, adopting a useless waste like you, and even letting Ashley marry you! Look at yourself! Do you deserve my Ashley? You're nothing but a dog!"
Estelle snorted. "If you know what's good for you, go back and finalize the divorce with Ashley! Don't miss my chance at a golden son-in-law!"
"Mom, I truly love—"
"Don't call me Mom!" Estelle shrieked, oblivious to her image. "You've been leeching off our family, and now you're trying to ruin Ashley's life! You're an ungrateful wretch, worse than a dog!"
...
...
"Humph."
As Estelle continued to berate him, the onlookers cast disdainful glances at Dilan, as if he were a beggar.
"See? You're just a dog!" Estelle's face was flushed with a perverse satisfaction. "You, truly love Ashley? As if she'd even look at you! Luckily, she didn't, and she's still untouched, not ruining her prospects."
...
Estelle's dislike for Dilan was long-standing, beginning the moment her husband adopted him. "I don't know what that old man saw in you, favoring an outsider over his own family!" She muttered, almost to herself. "Now he's dead, serves him right!"
But none of that mattered now. As long as Ashley married Simon, Estelle wouldn't even care about this paltry family fortune. The only obstacle was Dilan. He was in her way.
"Who dared to upset my dear aunt?"
"Mr. Harris."
...
As the voice echoed, the crowd parted, revealing a man in a crisp white suit, the most striking figure among them.
"Mr. Harris, you're just in time," Estelle's expression shifted instantly, a saccharine smile replacing her earlier rage. "I was just teaching this boy a lesson. I kindly brought him out to see the world, but instead of being grateful, he tries to sneak a drink!"
"Aunt, that's not right."
Estelle froze. Simon continued, "Since he's here, he's our guest. I, Simon, can certainly afford a few drinks." He offered a glass of wine to Dilan. "Ashley's husband, right? A pleasure to meet you." He emphasized the words "husband" with a heavy, mocking tone.
"What are you standing there for? Take it!" Estelle, completely bewildered by Simon's behavior, snapped at Dilan. "Don't be ungrateful!"
...
Dilan looked up at the smiling Simon. Sensing something amiss, he reached for the glass. "Thank you..."
Before he could finish, Simon dropped the glass. It shattered on the floor.
"Brother Dilan, how clumsy of you." Simon sneered.
Estelle jumped in, "Can't even hold a glass! You're utterly useless!"
...
Dilan clenched his fists. Clumsy? The glass hadn't even reached his hand.
"What are you waiting for?!" Simon barked at a nearby servant. "Go to the restroom and get our Mr. Dilan a fresh drink."
"The restroom?"
"Get a drink from the restroom?"
...
Dilan froze, utterly confused by Simon's intentions. Moments later, a servant returned, carefully carrying a glass of yellow liquid, its pungent odor causing people to cover their noses and some to gag.
As the servant approached, Dilan's expression hardened. The stench was overwhelming. Urine.
"What do you mean by this?!" The contents of the glass were painfully obvious. Even a saint would have been angered by such blatant humiliation.
"Drink it," Simon smirked, waving his hand in front of his face. "If you don't, don't blame me for what happens."
...
By now, everyone understood Simon's intentions, especially Estelle. She had initially thought Simon was acting strangely, but now she realized it was all a cruel charade to humiliate Dilan.
"Don't you dare go too far!" Dilan gritted his teeth, his fists cracking.
"You will drink it," Simon said with a sinister smile.
He stepped closer, and before Dilan could react, he whispered, "Don't forget, Ashley is in my hands now."
"What do you want?" Dilan froze.
Simon leaned in, his voice laced with malice. "We're in international waters. If you don't drink this, and say, Ashley were to fall overboard and drown... how heartbroken I would be."
"You..."
Before Dilan could speak, Simon continued, "You could tell them, of course, but whether they believe you is another matter. After all," he sneered, "if you accuse me falsely, wouldn't your image in Ashley's eyes plummet even further?"
His voice suddenly hardened. "Kneel and beg!"
Simon stepped back, a cruel smirk plastered on his face. This was the scene he craved, Dilan reduced to a powerless clown.
...
Dilan's eyes burned with fury. A threat!
He had grown up in the mountains, then in an orphanage, before being adopted by Ashley's father and marrying her, becoming the Sidney family's live-in son-in-law. Over the years, Ashley had become his sole reason for living, even though she had never truly looked at him.
He glared at Simon, his eyes filled with rage. But he was powerless. If he didn't comply, Simon might actually harm Ashley.
With a thud, Dilan knelt before everyone. "I beg you..." His voice trembled; he couldn't bear to meet the gazes of the onlookers.
"Drink!" Simon said coldly. "Try anything funny, and I guarantee you'll see her floating in the ocean."
"Fine!" The word was squeezed through Dilan's clenched teeth. He reached for the glass with a trembling hand. As long as Ashley was safe, he was willing to sacrifice all his dignity.
"Oh my god, is he really going to drink that?"
"He has no spine! He's so eager to be a dog!"
"Disgusting!"
...
...
The moment Dilan knelt, the entire ship erupted in whispers. Just as his hand touched the glass, Simon kicked it. The liquid splashed over Dilan's head, the glass tumbling into the sea. The air filled with gasps and murmurs.
"You're pathetic, worse than a dog," Simon sneered. "If you know what's good for you, go back and finalize the divorce with Ashley. Don't embarrass her. You're not worthy of her! Our world is not for you to aspire to. It's just a delusion!"
"Housekeeping, don't forget to clean the floor. We wouldn't want to ruin everyone's mood."
Simon turned and left, Estelle trailing close behind. Before disappearing, he glanced back at a specific spot on the deck, a knowing smirk playing on his lips. His goal had been to humiliate Dilan in front of *her*, to show her the vast difference between them. He had succeeded. As for her choice, Simon was confident Ashley was smart enough to make the right one.
...
Dilan gave a bitter smile. Humiliation? He was used to it. He dragged himself towards his room, the stench of urine clinging to him, causing people to recoil as he passed. He was like a rat in the gutter. Dignity and face no longer mattered.
"Ashley, you said this guy had some backbone. Why did he kneel so easily?"
Inside a cabin, two women watched Dilan's retreating figure. One's eyes held only disgust. Beside her, Ashley, in a white dress, possessed a face as delicate as a sculpture. Her light makeup outshone every other woman. She clutched a jade pendant tightly in her hand. She had witnessed everything, her stunning face now an icy mask.
"He's even willing to drink urine. He's far worse than my brother... I'm disgusted just talking about it..."
"Ashley, I don't know why you brought him here. Just agree to be with my brother. At least he's sincere. Only he deserves you."
...
Bethany chattered incessantly, but Ashley remained silent, her grip tightening on the jade pendant. In that moment, she seemed to make a decision.
"Hey, Ashley, where are you going...?"
Before Bethany could finish, Ashley turned and left, her retreating figure the focus of many surprised gazes. She was heading towards Dilan's room.
- Writer
